Enhanced ferroelectric phase content of polyvinylidene difluoride fibers with the addition of magnetic nanoparticles

Polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) fibers with continuously dispersed ferrite (Ni(0.5)ZD(0.5)Fe(2)O(4)) nanoparticles were prepared by electrospinning from dimethyl formamide (DMF) solutions. The effects of the electrospinning processing conditions and nanoparticle loading on the formation of the alpha, beta, and gamma phases of PVDF were studied using infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The amount of the ferroelectric beta and gamma phases present in the fibers was found to increase with increased nanoparticle loading. We have shown that the formation of PVDF phases with extended chain conformations can be enhanced by the addition of a well-dispersed nanoparticle phase. At increased nanoparticle loadings, the a phase is completely converted to the more extended beta and gamma phases.